Infertility Options - Looking Ahead* 

Egg freezing – In your 20s but not ready to have a baby? Have your eggs vitrified (a modern method of freezing) before age 30 not because you will run out, but because they become less viable with age to withstand the stress involved. Egg freezing leading to pregnancy involves egg stimulation, extraction, freezing, thawing, fertilizing, and returning to your womb someday. ($10,000)

FSH and AMH hormone level tests - Age 20-40 but no pregnancy after a year? The Follicle Stimulation Hormone (FSH) and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) controls the growth and reveal the number of egg cells available each month. Get them tested. If they are off for your age, it will influence your decisions further. ($500)

IUI – Any age. Intrautarine insemination (IUI) is a short, clinical procedure. Sperm is placed inside the uterus after egg release, to increase the number of sperm that reach the egg and increase the chance of fertilization. ($2000)

IVF – Invitro Fertilization (IVF) Is the process of using hormone stimulation to produce more eggs during a cycle and remove them during a medical procedure. Fertilization success is then increased by using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) where each egg is individually injected with a single sperm. The resulting embryos are grown for approximately 5 days in a petri dish. This is most successful for women up to age 35. ($15,000)

Adoption – Any age. Check your local state adoption requirements. Get on their wait list, which can be years long. Some states limit the age of either parent to age 40 at time of adoption. Adopting handicapped, older or international children can happen sooner. Private adoption agencies can guide you. ($10,000 - $50,000)

Egg Donation – Age 40+. Fertility levels start to decline at age 35. By age 42 ovarian failure occurs naturally, and there is a 15% chance of a successful pregnancy. Premature Ovarian Failure can happen at any age. Using donated eggs from a young woman is a good option. Women well past menopause are using egg donors with high success. Hormone stimulation medication thickens the womb lining to receive the embryo until the body’s natural hormones take over and carry the pregnancy to term. Select a donor between the ages of 20 and 30 and have her fertility levels checked. ($20,000 - $50,000)

Childless by Choice – Any age. You may reach a point several times in your journey, where you realize you can be happy without children or the stress of trying further is too great. Varying hormone levels impact your emotions as you age, which influence your decision. By age 50+ (pre menopause) many women are feeling some relief and appreciating the freedom of time, finance, and ability to grow in creative ways which may have gone undiscovered during the childrearing years. 

*Birth control methods that prevent menstruation, an implant for example, can lower your fertility for when you do want to have children. It is healthiest to select birth control that allows for your natural bleeding every month.

* General guidelines, ages and prices will vary.